Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur set for season-defining Europa League final duel
While winners get entry to Champions League and losers face ignominy, respective managers say they do not fear losing their jobs
Manchester United and Tottenham face off in the Europa League final in Bilbao on Wednesday night (3am Thursday, Hong Kong time) with both clubs eyeing a golden ticket into the Champions League after historically poor seasons.
The two teams have lost a combined 39 times in the Premier League, with 20-time champions United an embarrassing 16th in the table and Spurs 17th, a single spot above the relegation zone.
Yet one of them will be celebrating at the final whistle at the San Mames stadium – not just a European trophy but a financial windfall worth potentially upwards of £100 million (US$134 million).
Ruben Amorim, in his first campaign at Old Trafford, knows that victory will not solve United’s long-standing and deep-rooted problems, but he admits it would change the mood.
“We have bigger things to deal with than that, to put this club back to the top,” the 40-year-old said on the eve of the game in northern Spain.
But he added: “[If we win] people will look at our team in a different way, because winning a European title is really important.”